1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and device for displaying history information used in an image processing device in which an image is fetched, and with the image displayed in a predetermined main region of a display screen, various image processings are carried out, and the results of the image processings are reflected in the displayed image.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, as a step after image processing in an image processing device, usually, the image processing which was carried out in the immediately previous operation could be undone, but the operator could not return to images before then.
In one function of an operating system, the entire history of commands during image processing is held, and the operator can return to a desired past image by undoing the commands one-by-one in an order opposite to the order in which the commands are held.
Expensive image processing software are equipped with a window which displays a record of past commands, as well as displays, in strings of characters which are recognizable to the operator, a record of the contents of past image processings.
However, it is difficult for an ordinary user to use this conventional history record in image processing devices because special knowledge is required in order to understand the history, and because the image state must be judged only from character or symbol information. Thus, much time is required for the user to locate the record corresponding to a desired image, and in some cases, it may not be possible for the user to locate the record. Moreover, in methods using this history, the desired history record is selected by using a mouse or the like, and the image corresponding to the record is called up from the storage device and displayed on the screen, and the image state is then finally clear to the user. Accordingly, if the record selected by the user does not correspond to the image the user desires, the user must repeat the operations of selecting the image, calling up the image, and displaying the image, which is inefficient.
Further, in order to retain all of the images on which various image processings have been carried out, a saving process is required each time an image processing is completed.
In view of the aforementioned, an object of the present invention is to provide a method and device for displaying history information in which, when image processings are carried out repeatedly, a plurality of images which have been subjected to image processing automatically remain as a history record, and this history is displayed in image states which can be visually discerned, such that a desired image can be intuitively determined.
A first aspect of the present invention is a method of displaying history information including the steps of: displaying an image in a predetermined main region, and displaying history information in a predetermined auxiliary region; carrying out a plurality of image processing on the image displayed in the main region; and displaying in the main region an image after image processing is carried out, and displaying at least one of an image before image processing is carried out and information relating to the image before image processing is carried out, in the auxiliary region as history information in the order in which the image processings are carried out.
In accordance with the first aspect, in addition to a main region in which the image, which is the object of image processing, is displayed on the screen, an auxiliary region is provided. Images which have been subjected to image processing until now are displayed in chronological order as history information. For example, by displaying the images in order from the oldest from the left side of the screen, the user can easily visually grasp the image processed states that have been generated until now.
In a second aspect of the present invention, in consistent with the first aspect, the image displayed in the auxiliary region is one of the image before image processing is carried out and displayed in the main region and an image in which a portion of the image before image processing is carried out is reduced.
In accordance with the second aspect, because the displayed history information is a reduced image, the image can be discerned visually.
In a third aspect of the present invention, in consistent with the first aspect, information relating to an image displayed in the auxiliary region is one of characters corresponding to the image processing, words corresponding to the image processing, and an image obtained by subjecting the image to a predetermined processing.
In accordance with the third aspect, the history information is an image in which the image processing command or the results of image processing are displayed by characters, words or graphically. For example, if there are images which have been subjected to image processing but wherein the difference therebetween is hard to discern, it will be extremely difficult to discern the difference when the reduced images of these images are viewed. Further, there are cases in which processings are carried out which are not expressed in the image, such as a change in the setting of the default value or the like. In such cases, there is absolutely no change in the image before processing and the image after processing, and even if reduced images thereof are displayed side-by-side, they will not be able to be distinguished from one another. Here, the differences can be clearly expressed if the changed portions or the contents of the change are expressed by characters, or if a graphical image is displayed in which, for example, the changed portion is displayed in an emphasized state.
In a fourth aspect of the present invention, in consistent with the first aspect, when the history information is selected, a predetermined processing is carried out on the history information.
In accordance with the fourth aspect, the history information is displayed as an icon, as a button or as an object such as a picture on which the image information is pasted. A predetermined processing can be carried out by selecting a region of the history information by using a selecting means such as a mouse, a joystick or the like.
In the fifth aspect of the present invention, in consistent with the fourth aspect, the predetermined processing is processing for displaying in the main region the image corresponding to the selected history information.
In accordance with the fifth aspect, by selecting a region of the history information by using a selecting means such as a mouse, the image corresponding to the selected history information is displayed in the main region, and the image corresponding to the selected history information is made to be the object of image processing.
In a sixth aspect of the present invention, in consistent with the third aspect, when an image in the auxiliary region is selected, information relating to the image is displayed instead of the image, and when information relating to the image is selected, the image is displayed.
In accordance with the sixth aspect, by selecting a region of the history information by using a selecting means such as a mouse or the like, display of the history information can be switched between a reduced image of the image before image processing is carried out, and information relating to the image which information is one of characters expressing the contents of the image processing, words expressing the contents of the image processing, or an image prepared by displaying the contents of image processing in an emphasized state. In this way, it is easy for the user to select the image.
In the seventh aspect of the present invention, in consistent with the first aspect, the main region and the auxiliary region are displayed in independent window states, and the main region and the auxiliary region are moved independently within a single screen.
In accordance with the seventh aspect, if the main region and the auxiliary region are formed as respectively different windows, the relative positional relationship therebetween can be freely changed. For example, the main region and the auxiliary region may be displayed on the screen in the state in which they are contacting one another, or the display frames thereof may be moved to separate the two, or one region may be placed to partially overlap the other.
In the eighth aspect of the present invention, in consistent with the first aspect, when an image processing is carried out on the image displayed in the main region, the image processing is carried out after automatically returning to an image state before the image processing immediately before this image processing.
In accordance with the eighth aspect, when respective image processings are carried out with plural image processings overlapping (i.e., image processing carried out one after another on an image without returning to the original image), there are cases in which the user may wish to return to the original image and carry out a different image processing. Basically, in image processings such as color correction and the like, it is desirable to not carry out overlapping processing, and rather, to carry out processing a single time. Here, before the image processing is carried out, if a mode is set for automatically canceling image processings before the present image processing, there is no need to carry out a canceling operation each time, and workability improves. It is preferable that this mode can be set to on or off.
In a ninth aspect of the present invention, in consistent with the first aspect, when a maximum number of displayable history information in the auxiliary region has been exceeded and history information is to be additionally displayed in the auxiliary region, a history information, which has been displayed for the longest period of time and which is other than history information for which saving has been designated, is closed.
In accordance with the ninth aspect, if the storage capacity and the display region are sufficiently large, there is no need to limit the number of history information which are displayed. However, there are limits on the number of history information which can be displayed in the auxiliary region. Here, when the maximum number of displayable history information is exceeded, the history information are deleted from the oldest image, except for those information for which saving has been designated, and new history information are added. Although here, the maximum number of displayable history information is equal to the number of history information which can be displayed in the auxiliary region, by employing a scrolling method, the maximum number of displayable history information may be made greater than the number of history information which can be displayed in the auxiliary region.
In the tenth aspect of the present invention, in consistent with the ninth aspect, among the history information, the history information corresponding to the image which was an initial object of processing is history information for which saving has been designated.
In accordance with the tenth aspect, the image which is the initial object of processing, i.e., the original image, is selected as an image for which saving is designated. In this way, if the user wishes to redo image processing from the beginning, there is no need for the user to fetch the image from the file again, or to start up the software accompanying the TWAIN device and fetch the image, or the like. Workability is thereby improved.